| King George Classic Challenge Final 4-7YO Colts  2400m Turf 29th March 2011Last Season's Final
This Season's Contenders
 Defending champion and all round classy animal, Invisible Phantom, will have to defy the odds to hit back-to-back successes. He carried 122lbs to take the title last year and this season will see a considerable hike in that weight. Couple the weight issue with his defiance to stay the extra 200m and the odds of a reapeat are a bit of a longshot. He may like the ground and there's no mistaking his quality over the lesser trips but for me it all looks a bit of an also ran appearance in this.
His second in this race behind the forementioned winner, was undoubtedly an impressive run. He came into the race as many people's favourite to taste success and his trainer may have been a little disappointed with second place. He is top heavy for the race which may be his ultimate handicap against some lighter and in some cases, formidable opponents. In terms of qualifying and what he has achieved in his career, you can't fault him. He will relish this challenge and he is no slouch on a soft surface. He has more than paid his way and last seasons effort was possibly his last bite at the cherry that is, championship success but he is by no means out of this, even with the weight.
 His run behind Derby winner, Larry Fitzgerald, was certainly a promising effort. His liking to the distance would put him in fine fettle for the race, however, the going has come to act against him and judging by his previous efforts on a soft track, it is not going to play to his strengths. It may pay to follow one of the other charges from the yard.
Slaughtered had been an early season fancy for this race for me but judging on his efforts on a soft surface doesn't inspire me to stick my neck out and proclaim him as an out and out winner of this race. So, his efforts on the surface have not been too bad at all but you wouldn't go as far to say that they have been superlative. His chance is obviously enhanced by his low weight and he still remains a horse that you could consider, so each way chances are certainly not beyond him.
Edge Of Light is something of a distance specialist. Fourteen of his eighteen qualifying races throughout his career have come over the trip with his only victory coming on a muddy track. The four qualifiers he has run on a soft going read well enough and he may be one who will enjoy the testing conditions. He is likeable horse in a race that has now turned out a little bit more difficult under the testing conditions. Must have a chance from a nice position near the rail.
His one and only appearance in a challenge final came against a crop headed by Larry Fitzgerald. On that run he looked a little adverse to the underfoot conditions. Of all his qualifying races, the better efforts have come when there is a little give in the ground. Interestingly though, he has only ever competed on a soft track on the single occasion, finishing way off the pace. It is not clear whether he will handle this going and for that reason a difficult proposition to weigh up. What can be said is that he will take a liking to the trip.
Maroon Spirit has winning form over distance and going but has put his best foot forward when tackling a yielding surface. He was a reasonable price at auction in January and will surely pay his way. His liking to the trip is not in dispute in the race as he clearly responds well when questioned. He has no weight penalty which is always a bonus but he may be another one who would have liked a little less rain. He remains a lively outsider.
 Two previous appearances in this race have ended with a midfield position. Both efforts coming on a muddy track. Brough into the yard in December, the eye for a potential bargain lurked and his end price was not too expensive at that. He clearly likes a muddy track and if his ability on a soft going converts well, then he may do better than expected from his wide draw. Unlike a lot of others in the race, he has had plenty of experience on the surface during his career. That could be a telling factor.
Apple Of Eden has won a qualifier race in his juvenile season and that was over course and distance. Aged five now, it has been a two season gap since his last visit to a soft track. Now that could be evidence that soft going is his desired surface but in the same way it could mean that connections have not rated him good enough to compete. If you think about the juvenile victory, it could also be said that others may have been bagged to keep the weight off. Summing up his chance in this race is not easy. His draw right on the outer doesn't help much if statistics of previous races at this level on this track and distance are anything to go by.
Stardust Racing have an interesting chance in this race. Glorious Creature is one who doesn't seem too daunted by the heavier conditions below. He has never won a race on the surface but has put up some admirable efforts in defeat and in a race that seems a little void of many true mud lovers, he could be the tentitive choice for followers. He may have only won six races from his sixty-one starts but he is one of a few to have tasted challenge glory after winning the Stayers Juvenile. This race will mark his seventh appearance in a challenge final and he is still only five years old. Horse and connections are getting old pros at this now.
Will there be Light After Dark for the yard if this one emerges from a challenge final tunnel to claim success. A five year old in the race that is having his first crack at challenge final may not be something that you would associate with a seasoned pro. However, he may be as natural a soft runner horse that you are going to see in this race and has performed with extreme consistency when gliding through the difficult and stiky turf. No issue faces the horse over trip and he could go especially well. Winners have come from stall nine in this race of past seasons so why not again!
 A chestnut for a black, they say! Well in this case it is a fact. The yards decision to replace Operatic Opus with Majestic Glory by picking up the points in the last qualifier of the season may now be a decision they could rue. The latter is a soft ground lover and Majestic Glory has never even seen the track on the surface, making his chance in this an obvious no no.
It would be fair to say that Sebastian Coe was looking for a sounder surface in the race to show off his best. His soft ground antics in his career do not amount to much at all. One race and a heavy defeat at that. Things are not likely to improve much here and he is easily passed in this race.
Whatever Larry Fitzgerald accomplishes during the rest of his career is negligable to the fact that he can firmly place himslef in virtual racing history by virtue of joining an elite club of Derby champions. He has run well in all his challenge final races to date and must be a dream for his trainer, always giving a good show of himself. This race is no exception and I really think he has an outstanding chance of getting back into the winners enclosure and add another championship to his credentials. A 4lb penalty will slightly affect him but it is nothing in comparison to his ability and he should easily step up on that. Strong fancy in a race where many will fail to handle the underfoot stickyness. |
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